VenCo: A Novel | 
Tyler!! These books look epic, and the bookmarks are amazing! I cannot wait to use them, especially ghost face! My absolute all time favorite horror movie series!!! You‘re so talented! I‘m so glad you won the fight with your daughter for my treats as well, they look so yummy! Thanks also to @wanderinglynn for organizing! #hhs #hhs24 #hauntedhollowswap
pickI really liked this book. All about crushing the patriarchy and women being stronger together than alone. The caregiver aspect to the story was almost too relatable at times.
This month's #doublespin! @TheAromaofBooks
so-soIt‘s not as tightly considered as some of her other novels, but the loose driving searching journey across America mixed with magic and witchcraft is most definitely enjoyable!
pickI really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read and a good story. I am hoping, however, that another book about the coven will be forthcoming, because I so enjoyed spending time with them!
So this is probably my top read for 2023. I absolutely loved it!!
#12booksof2023
panThis book was a bit boring and nothing happened… they spend all this time looking for the coven and then what happened? Is it just me?
#scarathlon #magicalmonsters #rushathon #20in4 #31by31 #spookoween #witchathon #falling4books #bookspin #finalstretchreadathon #littenlisten
DieAReader, Read4life, StayCurious, TEArificbooks, Andrew65, TheSpineView, Catsandbooks, GHABI4ROSES, aperfectmjk, LiseWorks
pickAbsolutely gorgeous story. A strong focus on connections — family, friends, the land, and the world, all a network of connections that make us thrive. The magic and power of the feminine. The foundations of all of us, and what‘s worth keeping. Sharp, honest writing with great, memorable characters. Plus, an intriguing plot with a big nasty and a short timeline to keep things moving. A great spooky season read, and one I highly recommend.
This started so strong, but all the build led to a very blah ending. A story about the building of a group of witches to help fix the world. The idea is solid, a fun feminist story. However, the execution just fell flat. It just felt like this needed more time and editing to come together. I didn‘t hate it, but was disappointed. 3⭐️
#Scarathlon 6 hours reading 181 word search words #HHC
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I finished VENCO while I turned this witchy diamond painting into a wall hanging for my mum. It was such a cool book! Loved the magic rooted in place and identity; loved the characters (especially Stella!); loved the vibe of it all. My attention did waver a little bit as it rolled along, but it was still a great experience overall. #audiocrafting
so-soI thought this book had a really interesting premise (modern day witches creating a coven in Salem, MA, who are also being stalked by a witch hunter). What worked for me was the backstories of each witch and how their journeys led to coming together as a coven. Less successful was the hamfisted integration of identity politics and “wokeness”. I found the main character to be pretty annoying, so it was hard to be invested in the outcome.
pickCouldn't put it down. If you love strong characters, inclusivity, and witchcraft, then you're going to gobble it up.
My friend and I both borrowed this book from the library, any maybe I‘m in my first book club??
I missed Independent Book Store day last weekend because we went to pick up our youngest up from Uni so I made up for it today 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
pickI think this is the quickest I‘ve read a #doublespin pick!
This was a sweet, often silly, and a bit smutty of a little romp. Honestly, only a little like my #littenkitten, who is a silly, sometimes sweet, and often annoyed and pushy little barfmachine. But he is a black cat, and this is a book about witches… 🧙♀️
He also couldn‘t figure out how to use this scratching post house I got him for Halloween 🎃 😂💀
pickWhat an excellent tale of womanhood (and so much more, I won‘t say what as to not spoil the story). I loved the grandma/granddaughter relationship so much.
so-so3.5⭐️/5⭐️ I wanted so badly to have enjoyed this book more. Sadly, it was a slow read for me.
I read the tagged and Bad Cree back to back and I was noticing a lot of similarities. They were both written by indigenous authors. There was the use of dreams leading the characters to a final confrontation, the group of strong women characters, mysterious birds, villains interfering from a distance, and a bunch of other minor things. Nonetheless, the stories were very different in tone, atmosphere, and resolution. ⬇️
pickThe thing I liked most about this was that the magic of the coven comes from listening, researching, pooling resources, love, convening with/knowledge of nature, and memories- overlooked human powers. The villain meanwhile uses mostly manipulation to get what he wants. I appreciated the themes here even if my cynical heart isn‘t always as hopeful about the world outside this book. This was adventurous and uplifting and I need that sometimes!
pickLoved this. One of those books where you don't want to put it down. The characters are fun and full of life. The story is interesting, filled with history and folklore, and of course a terrible villain. A great read.
pickBeen loving reading during our nugget's naps. 💛🥰 Finished up this new release— thanks to Penguin Random House for the free ARC!
If you enjoyed The Change by Kirsten Miller, you'll want to check this one out. A powerful matriarch of witches is ready to change the world. They just need one thing: their sixth witch. Young, rebellious Lucky St. James may just be what the coven's been looking for. Often hilarious and definitely binge-worthy!
pickI went into this nervously because I‘ve only read one Dimaline before and while I liked the writing, the plot wasn‘t for me. I thought this might be the same. I was wrong. The writing was even better - sharp and funny and so expressive - and the plot blew my socks off. This was so good! And I think she may be setting up this up for more books, which I‘ll be very excited for!!
#weeklyfirecast
🎧 Tipping the Velvet & Radio Silence (thank you Libby)
E-reader: finish VenCo & start Wandering Souls (WP)
📚 All My Rage, Jane Goodall 's Hope, If An Egyptian Cannot Speak English, Mind of My Mind
I am back into the groove of reading after a February slump, and it feels great!
As of today, I‘ve discussed 99 books in focused Featured Fridays on YouTube. Wild.
https://youtu.be/YqlBfMI4lz8
pickI had been eagerly anticipating this one and was slightly disappointed at first because I felt like I couldn't get immersed. Then, I tumbled down the hole with all the themes, characters, and symbolism. Even if I kinda, sorta thought I had it figured out, the confirmation was a beauty. I should have trusted the journey right from the beginning.
Brittany mentioned the difference in cover design between US and Canadian editions when she commented on my review. I like them both, especially that yellow birds are included. The US cover (on the left) doesn‘t hint at how atmospheric the novel is, although flipping VenCo to CoVen alerts readers to its witchy content. The Canadian cover doesn‘t hint at the contemporary setting. Would you be more likely to pick up one over the other?
pickAn atmospheric story about a coven of witches that is also a story about community building, gathering together people of all ages who can tear down the patriarchy, led by Black & Indigenous and queer women who are full of joy in the midst of the struggle. Audiobook read by Michelle St John. #Canadian #Indigenous
Pomegranate peel dye project final result. White area is the original cloth colour; yellow from the pomegranate dye and green from the subsequent iron dip.
#audiocrafting #LitsyCrafters
Cotton cloth after pomegranate peel dye bath. Next step: a dip in an iron solution.
#audiocrafting #Litsycrafters
pickSlow to start, but the characters make the journey worth it. the slow climb pays off once the boss battle nears.As someone who had the both difficult & rewarding task of caring for an aging relative(when at times I barely knew how to take care of myself) I found Lucky &her grandmother Stella‘s interactions sweetly (& painfully)familiar. Very pretty, with an interesting & inclusive magic system, &anti-patriarchy overtone. Loved it.
Found the cliché!
I‘m so excited! I probably won‘t be able to start it till the weekend, but it‘s herrrrreeee
#HappyPubDay
pickI thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was about family and female power and is told through the search for a missing spoon needed to find and reunite a coven of witches. I especially loved the characters of Lucky and Stella and the feminist fiction aspect of the story. It also had great humour and a bit of a madcap adventure, with just a touch of spice. I really hope Dimaline plans a sequel as I would love more of these characters. 4.5/5 stars!
pickAn enthusiastic pick for this one, publishing 2/7/23. I have had the #ARC for a few months & finally was able to pick it up. If you loved Empire of Wild, you will likely love this one too. Focusing on Lucky who is scrabbling to get by & take care of her grandmother when she finds a “witch” spoon that leads her to a group of indigenous women, all witches trying to find their 6th & 7th members to form a coven before time runs out or a witch hunter⬇️
pickThis is funny and the characters swear a lot. Lucky finds an old spoon which leads her to a group of witches but time is running out to find the 7th spoon and the witch it is meant for. Obviously there's a bad dude that wants to prevent this.
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
Pub date is 2/7/2023
*gasp
How dare she? And in a book set in MA.
💜💛💚
Just kidding. I promise no more of my nonsense for today...
